are to be loosed by 〈◊〉 Peter and by the Pastors that sucâ—eed him in the Church See more Deut. 17.8 Aggeus 2.1 2. Cron. 19.8 Vnto the end 2. â—hes 2.15 ¶ The holy Fathers that affirm the â—â—me are S. Gregory NaZ In orat â—â—cusâ—t Tertul. lib. de praescrip adversus har S Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. S. Aug. lib. 1. cont Crosc cap. 33. and lib. cont Fund cap. 5. Vincent Lyr. in suo commonit And S. Anselm lib. de incar cap. 1. writing to Pope Urban saith thus unto him Vnto nâ— other is more rightly referred to be corrected whatsoever ariseth in the Church against the Catholick faith c. They affirm III. That the Scriptures are easie to be understood and that therefore nonâ— ought to be restrained from readinâ— of them COntrary to the express words otheir own Bible 2. Pet. 3 1â— Where S. Peter speaking of S. Pauâ— Epistles saith In which are somâ— things hard to be understood whiâ—â— they that are unlearned and unstablâ—â— wrest as they do also the other Scriâ—tures unto their own destruction Bâ— all unlearned Reformers both reaâ— and are allowed to read those hard things yea the Book of Apocalyps also yet harder without any restraint to man or woman which yet they understand not therefore they wrest them as also other Scriptures to their own destruction Acts 8.30 And Philip said understandest thou what thou readest And he said How can I except some man should guide me Where first may be noted that this Noble Eunuch freely confessed he could not understand the Scriptures without an interpreter to expound them albeit he was a great and serious student in them and withal a holy and humble man as S. Hierom noteth of him Epist ad Paulin. de stud Script And next that he saith Except some man guide me So as he fled not to his private spirit nor yet to conferring of place with place as our Adversaries do Therefore the Scriptures â—re not easie Luke 24.25 and 27. Christ called â—wo of his Disciples fools and slow of â—eart c. And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself How then are the Scriptures so easily to be understood of the unlearned when Christs Disciples themselves could not understand them till first they were expounded to them Rev. 5.1 c The Angel speaking of the Book sealed with seven seals wept much because no man in heaven nor in earth was able to open the Book neither to look thereon A strange case to read in Scripture it self that the book of Scripture should be shut with so many seals but much more strange that even in S. John and the Apostles time none could be found neither in heaven nor earth able to open the same nor to look thereon which every Apprentice now adayes without 〈◊〉 difficulty will undertake to do See more 2 Pet. 1.20 Mat. 13.11 and 36. Luke 24..45 1 Cor. 12.10 Luke 8.10 54. Luke 2.50 2 Tim. 3 7. 1 John 4.6 John 5.35 Psal 119 18. and 34. Rev. 5.1 c. ¶ The holy Fathers that affirm the same are S. Iraenus l. 2. Cap. 27. Origen l. cont Cels S. Amb. Epist 44. ad Constant Where he calleth it A sea and depth of prophetical riddles S. Jer. in praefat comment in Ephes 5. And S. Aug. epist 119. cap. 21. saith The things of Scripture that I knew not are many more then those that I know So S. Greg. hom 6. in Ezech. and many other Fathers confess the same of themselves S. Denis Bishop of Corinth cited by Euscbius lib. 7. hist Eccl. 20. saith Of this Book of Scripture this is my opinion that the matter thereof is far more profound then my wit can reach unto They affirm IV. That Apostolical Traditions and ancient Customs of the Church not found in the written word are not to be received nor to oblige us Contrary to the express word of their own Bible 2 Thes 2.15 Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or by Epistle Hence it is clear that some Traditions were delivered to the Thessalonians by word of mouth and those of equal authority with what was written if not of more for the holy Ghost doth name them first as they were indeed the first in being yea it is certain that before the new Testament was written the Apostles delivered all by Tradition and word of mouth Therefore Apostolical Traditions are to be received and do oblige us 2 Thes 3.6 Nâ—w I command you brethen in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye with draw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us He saith not I councel you but I command you But these men rejecting all Traditions walk disordered therefore they break the Apostles commandment Yea they stand not but are fallen they let go what the word it self doth will them to hold and therefore in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ let all good men withdraw from them 1. Cor. 11.2 Now I praise you breâ—hren that you remember me in all â—hings and keep the Traditions as I â—ave delivered them unto you But these â—eject all Traditions therefore needs must S. Paul speak thus unto them Now none of my brethren I dispraise you for that you forget me in all â—hings and keep not the Traditions as 〈◊〉 have delivered them unto you Lastly if nothing at all be to be beâ—ieved but onely that which is left us written wherein should the Church â—ave exercised herself from Adam to Moses the space of two thousand six â—undred years See more 1 Tim. 6.3.20 2 Tim. â— 13 2 Tim. 2.2 John 20.30 and â—1 25 and 16.12 1 Cor. 11.16.34 〈◊〉 ep John 12.3 ep of S. John 13. Acts 16.4 and 15.28 ¶ The Fathers that affirm the same â—re S. Iraeneus l. 3. c. 4. Origen in cap. â— ad Rom. S. Damas l. 4. c. 17. S. Chrysost in 2 Thes 2. And S. Basil de Spiritu sancto saith some things 〈◊〉 have from Scripture other things frâ—â— the Apostles both which have 〈◊〉 force unto Godliness S. Chrysostom 4. in 2. Thes faith It is a Traditiâ—â— seek thou no further They affirm V. That a man by his own understandiâ—â— or private spirit may rightly judâ—â— and interpret Scripture COntrary to the express words their own Bible 1. Cor 12.8 aâ—â— 10. To one is given by the spirit 〈◊〉 word of wisedome to another the woâ—â—â— of knowledge by the same spirit to â—nother the working of miracles to â—nother Prophesie to another discerniâ—â— of spirits to another kinds of tongueâ— to another the interpretation of tonguâ—â— but all these worketh that one 〈◊〉 the self same spirit dividing to evâ—â—â— man severally as he will Where 〈◊〉 Apostle in express words opposeth 〈◊〉 refelleth this unsavory doctrine teaâ—â—ing that the gift of prophesying or truly to interpret the holy Scripture
on earth the whole Chapter from vers 12. unto the end doth clearly testifie Adde hereto that he saith not they shall confesse their sins to wit in general but their sin to wit in particular See more Mark 1.4 James 5.16 Mat. 18.18 Mat. 17.14 ¶ See the holy Fathers that affirm the same S. Iren. l. 1. cap. 9. Tertul. l. de poenitentia where he reprehend's some who for humane shamefastness neglected to go to confession It is written of S. Amb. that he himself sate to hear confessions Amb. ex Paulino S. Clement S. Peters successours speaks wonderfully pithily to this purpose ep ad fratr Dom. But of all others Origen is most plain for this point l. 3. Periar S. Chrys l. 3. de Sacerd. hom 85. in Joan. S. Aug. cited as before S. Amb. oret in muliere peccatrice saith Confesse freely to the Priest the hidden secrets of thy soul XVI That Pardons and Indulgences were not in the Apostles times COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible 2. Cor. 2.10 To whom ye forgive any thing I forgive also for if I forgave any thing to whom I forgave it for your sake forgave I it in the person of Christ The Corinthian aforesaid was excommunicated and put to penance by the Apostle as plainly appeareth 1 Cor. 5.3 and here in 2 Cor. 2. cited above he giveth order for his pardon A plain proof of the Apostles power there of binding here of loosing there of punishing here of pardoning Therefore pardons were in use in the Apostles times 2 Cor. 2.6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment or Censure which was inflicted of many Whence it is clear that it lieth in the hands of the spiritual Magistrates to measure the time of such punishment or penance imposed See more Matth. 18.18 and Matth. 16.19 ¶ As also the Fathers that affirm the same Tertul. lib. ad Mart. cap. 1.5 S. Syp. lib. 3. ep 15. and serm de lapsis Concil Lateran Can. 62. The degrees of Innocentius 3. and 4. de poenitent and remis cap. Quod autem S. Amb. l. 1. de poenit cap. 2. the place begins Dominus per jus S. Aug. ep 75. ad Auxil Episcop The place begins spiritualis poena S. Chrysost l. 3. de sacerdot The place begins Si rex aliquis Lastly Pope Vrban the 2. granted a plenary Indulgence to such as went unto the Holy War The Protestants hold XVII That the actions and passions of the Saints do serve for nothing to the Church COntrary to the express words of their own Bible Colos 1.24 I now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behinde we read wanting of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sâ—ke which is the Church Hence hath ground been always taken of Indulgences but much more principally from the super abundant merit of Jesus Christ There the actions and passions of the Saints do serve for something to the Church Philip. 2.30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death not regarding his life to supply your lack of service towards me Contrary also to an Article of our Creed I beleeve the Communion of Saints For to what purpose believe we this If their actions and passions may not be imparted to us nor serve to any purpose to the Church See more Psal 119.63 we 118. 1 Cor. 12.12 2 Cor. 11.28 Psa 53. we 52. 9.2 Mac. 15.16 Mat. 17.3 Luke 9.30 31. Mat. 27.52 Apoc. 5.8 Gen. 26.5 and 48.16 Exod. 32.13 Job 5.1 Hier. 15.1 Isa 37.35 Mark 14.36 Luke 8.44 Act. 5.15 All these passages contain actions or prayers of the Church triumphantâ— for the militant or pâ—tient or for both I care not which they grant and yet one they must needs confesse ¶ See the Fathers that affirm the same S. August lib. de cura promort cap. 2. The place begins Etsi nusquam And again the same Saints in the same book S. Maximus ser de sanctis Octavio Adventio the place begins Cuncti Martyres S. Bede hist Eccles Angliae l. 3. cap. 19. S. Aug. in Pfa. 61. the place begins Vnus enim homo as also S. Anselm upon the same Psalm XVIII That no man can do works of supererrogation COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible Mat. 19.21 If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow me Hence it plainly appears that man by the assistance of Gods grace may do some things counselled which are of more perfection then the things commanded and these we call Works of Supererrogation 1 Cor. 7.25 Now concerning Virgins I have no Commandement of the Lord yet I give my judgement we reade Counsel as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful And verse 38. He that giveth her in marriage doth well but he that giveth her not in Marriage doth better To do that which is counselled is not necessary because one may neverthelesse be saved but he who omits what is commanded unlesse he do pennance cannot escape eternal pains Matt. 19.12 There be Eunuchs which have made themselves Eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven he that is able to receive it we reade take it let him receive it But this cannot properly be said of precepts as S. August noteth upon this place ser 61. de temp for of precepts it is not said keep them who is able but keep them absolutely See more Luke 10.25 1 Cor. 7.1 Rev. 3.3 Acts 2.44 Acts 4.34 ¶ And the holy Fathers affirm the same S. Ambr. l. de viduit Origan in which we do over and above our duty Euseb 1. Demonstrat cap. 8. S. Chrysost hom 8. de act poenit Blame not our Lord he commandeth nothing impossible yea many do no more then they are commanded S. Greg. Nicen. 1. Moral cap 5. XIX That by the fall of Adam we have all lost our Free-will and that it is not in our power to choose good but onely evil COntrary to the express words of their own Bible 1 Cor. 37. He that standeth stedfast in his heart having no necessity but hath power over his own will and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin doth well But if a man have not freedom of will as well to the one as to the other why doth the holy Ghost Prov. 23.26 require of us to give him our heart if we cannot consent but unto evil Therefore it is in our power to choose good or evil John 1.11 12. He came unto his own and his own received him not but as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God words which plainly imply a liberty of will For when he saith some received him and some not who sees not the libetty both of the one and of the other for these would not receive him and those would Deut. 30.19 I call heaven and earth to
S. Ambr. in 4. ad Heb. saith Faith alone sufficeth not S. Aug. de fide operibus cap. 51. saith I see not why Christ should say If thou wilt have life everlasting keep the commandements if without observing of them by onely Faith one might be saved XXII That no good Works are meritorious COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible Mat. 16.17 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works He saith not that he shall reward every man according to his mercy or their faith So S. August de verbis Apost serm 35. doth interpret Mat. 5.12 Rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in heaven The word Reward in Latine and Greek signifieth wages and hire due for works and so presupposeth a meritorious deed as the Rhemish Testament noteth upon this place Again Mat. 10.42 Whosoever shall give to drink a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Therefore good works are meritorious 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Words most clear that Heaven is as well the reward of good works as hell is the stipend of evil Therefore they must needs be enemies of a good life and of all good works who teach the contrary See more 1 Cor. 19.17 and 18.25 Heb. 11.26 Psal 18.20 1 Cor. 4.5 and 3.8 2. Esdras 15.19 Apoâ— 22.12 Apoc. 16.6 Apoc. 3.4 and 22.12 Rom. 26. Eccles 12.2 Colos 3.23 Luke 16.9 and 6.38 Gen. 15.1 Jerem. 31.16 Sap. 5.16 1. Tim. 4.8 2 Thes 1.6 Rom. 11.21 ¶ The holy Fathers unanimously affirm the same S. Amb de apolog David cap. 6. S. Hier. l. 3. cont Pelag. S. Aug. de spiritu lit cap. ult and others XXIII That faith once had cannot possibly be lost COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible Luke 8.13 They on the rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy which for a while believe and in the time of tentation fall away Therefore faith once had may afterwards be lost 1 Tim. 1.18.19 This charge I commit unto thee Son Timothy according to the prophesies which went before on thee that thou by them mightest war a good warfare holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack Both which places do plainly reprove this false doctrine That no man can fall from the faith which he once truly had 2 Tim. 2.16 c. Shun profane and vain bablings for they will increase unto more ungodliness And their word will eat as doth a canker of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus who concerning the truth have erred saying that the resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some If faith once had could not be lost this saying of the Apostle should be false See more 1 Tim. 6.20 Rev. 2.5 Luke 19.24 Matth. 23.8 c. Rom. 11 20. ¶ The Fathers affirm the same frequently and among the rest S. August de gratia lib. de correp gratia ad articulo falso impositos concil Trid. less 6. cap. 9.12.13 and others They maintain XXIV That God by his will and inevitable Decree hath ordained from all eternity who shall be damned and who saved COntrary to the express words of their own Bible 1 Tim. 2.3 4. God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth Meaning by his conditional will that is to say if men will themselves by accepting doing or having done all things requisite by Gods Law for God useth not his absolute will or power towards us in this case Therefore he hath not willed and inevitably decreed any at all to be damned as our Adversaries hold 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise c. not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Therefore he is farre from ever making any such decree as our Adversaries would perswade us Wisdom 1.13 For God made not death neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living The reasons which conclude this truth are manifest for we must assure nothing of those things which depend upon the onely will of God without clear and evident revelation But predestination is such Therefore c. See more Ose 13.9 Ezech. 18.32 Wis 11.24 Joan. 3.16 Rom. 11.20.32 Prov. 20.9 and 28.14 Phil. 2.12 1 Cor. 4.4 and 9.27 and 10.12 Eccles 5.5 Job 9.2 Joel 2.14 Ionas 3.9 Act. 8.20 Ier. 17.9 2 Ioan. 1.8 ¶ See the Fathers that affirm the same in particular S. Aug. l. 1. civit Tertul. orat c. 8. S. Cypr. lib. 4. epist. 2. And S. Amb. lib. 2. de Cain and Abel will not that we refer unto God the prevariâ—ation of Adam or the treason of Judas though he knew the sin before it was committed Further they hold XXV They every one ought infallibly to assure himself of his Salvation and to believe that he is of the number of the Predestinate COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible 1 Cor. 9.27 I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast away A man would think that S. Paul might be as sure and as confident of Gods grace and salvation as any one of our Protestants be and yet you see he durst not adhere unto their presumptuous and unhappy security Rom. 11. 20 21. Thou standest by faith be not high minded but fear for if God spared not the natural branches take heed lest he also spare not thee Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God on them which fell severity but towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou also shalt be cut off And Philip. 2.12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling Most plain forcible places against the vain security of salvation See more Prov. 28.14 Eccles 9.1 2. 2 Tim. 2.15 2 Pet. 1.10 Tob. 12.2 13. Prov. 20.9 Eccles 5.5 Iob 9.20 Psa 18.13 1 Cor. 4.4 Deut. 4.29 2 Cor. 10.18 1 Pet. 1.17 ¶ See S. Amb. ser 5. in Psa 118. S. Basil in constit monast c. 2. S. Hier. l. 2. advers Pelagianos l. 3. in Ierem. cap. 13. S. Chrysost hom 87. in Ioan. And S. Aug. in Psa 40. saith I know full well that the justice of my God remaineth Whether my own justice remain or no I know not for the Apostle terrifieth me saying He that thinketh himself to stand let him take heed lest he fall S. Bern. ser 3. de Adven ser 1. de Septuages saith Who can say I am one of the Elect c. XXVI That every man hath not
with thy servant David that which thou hast promised him And Psal 1â—2 we 131 Lord remember David and all his afflictions Lo again the faith of the ancient Church of God before the coming of Jesus Christ how servent they were in this devotion still alledging the memories and merits of their Saints deceased thereby to move Gods mercy towards them So prayed Solomon 2 Chron. 1.9 So prayed Isai 63.17 So prayed Hester 13 14. So prayed David 1 Chron. 29.18 naming Abraham Isaac and Jacob for his Intercessours Who ever heard a Protestant to say Lord remember thine own mother and all her afflictions or Peter and Paul and their persecutions Nay they desire the Papists to hold them blameless for fear forsooth lest they should blaspheme Exodus 20.5 I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandements Here again God threatneth to punish the demerits of wicked men deceased unto the fourth generation of their children alive and to reward the merits of goodmen deceased unto the thousand generation of their children alive Therefore we at this very day receive benefits by means of our godly Ancestors deceased a thousand generations ago Thus much proof of the first point and to pass unto the second XXXIIII That we ought not expresly to pray them to pray or intercede to God for us COntrary to the express words of their own Bible Luke 16.24 Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame Lo two Saints are here prayed unto and besought in one ver yet our Reformers usually bid us shew them so much as one place in all the Bible for proof hereof Where then for Gods sake are their eyes But they will reply and say that this is a Parable and not a Prayer which we deny offering to be tryed by the voice of ten renowned and ancient Fathers all affirming this to be a true History and not a Parable as Theophylact Tertullian Clemens Alex. S. Chrysostom S. Irenaeus S. Ambr. S. Augustine S. Gregory Euthymius and our Countreyman Venerable Bede But grant it to be a Parable what doth this make either for them or against us For every Parable is either true in it self and in the persons named or at least is or may be true in some other or else it were a flat lye or at least a fiction or fable which I presume they will never deny Whereupon I thus conclude as S. Augustine did a little before upon the self-same History If the rich Glutton in Hell prayed to Abraham who as our Reformers say was in heaven why may not we who are on earth pray to them who are in heaven Job 5.1 Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn we reade and turn to some of the Saints Now if it had not been the custome in the time of Iob to invocate the holy Saints it had been frivolous for Eliphas to have asked Iob to which of the Saints he would turn him Whereto I adde that S. August expounds this very place in his Annotations upon Iob in the same sense that Catholicks do yea and long before him the Seventy Interpreters See more 2 Pet. 1.15 Dan. 3.28 Hester 13.15 1 Chron. 29.18 Luke 16.9 and 15.10 ¶ The Fathers that affirm the same are S. Dionysius cap. 7. Eccles Hier. S. Athanasius serm de Annun S. Basil orat in 44. Mart. S. Chrysost hom 66. ad popul Finally S. Hier. prayed to S. Paula in Epi. S. Paula S. Maximus to S. Agnes serm de S. Bernard to our B. Lady and the like XXXV That the Bones or Relicks of Saints are not to be kept or reserved no vertue proceeding from them after they be once dead COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible 2 Kings 4.13.22 where it is written that the bones of Eliseus being touched by one that was dead did revive him But this could not be had not some vertue proceeded from them Acts 5.14 15. And believers were the more added to the Lord multitudes both of men and women insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets and laid them on Beds and Couches that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them It followeth in ours and that they all might be delivered from their infirmities which is quite left out in the English Bibles though those set forth in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign have it as ours in particular that of Anno 1560. Whereupon S. Aug. ser 39. de Sanctis saith If the shadow of S. Peters body could help them how much more now the fulnesse of his power Wherein he supposeth two things The one that the shadow of his body being here on earth did both help and heal infirmities which the late English Bibles all leave out as I said because it makes not for them The other that being in Heaven he can still help us by his power Acts 19.11.12 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul so that from his body were brought unto the sick hand-kerchiefs or aprons and the diseases departed from them and the evil spirits went out of them S. Chrysostom tom 5. cont Gentiles Quod Christus sit Deus in a whole book proveth hereby and by the like virtue of other Saints and their Relicks that Christ their Lord and Master is God whose servants shadows and napkins could do no such wonders See more Exodus 13.19 2 Reg. 2.8.14 John 1.27 Where S. John had a reverend esteem of the very latchet of our Saviours shoe as of a Relick which he was not worthy to unbuckle or touch with his hand And the woman with the bloudy flux of the hem of his holy garment ¶ See the ancient Fathers that affirm the same Euseb l. 7. hist cap. 15. S. Athanasius in vita S. Antonii S. Basil in Psal 115. S. Chrysost ser de sanctis Juventio Maximo And S. Amb. saith But if you ask me what I honour in flesh dissolved I honour in the Martyrs flesh his wounds received for Christs Name And I honour his ashes made holy by the confession of Christ Protestants hold XXXVI That creatures cannot be sanctified or made more holy then they are already of their own nature COntrary to the express words of their own Bible 1 Tim. 4.4 For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanks-giving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Yea it was a common use in the primitive Church to bring bread to Priests to be hallowed Author oper imp hom 14. in Matth. and being blessed to send it for sacred tokens from
one Christian to another as S. Aug. witnesseth ep 31.34.35.36 Mat. 23.17 Ye fools and blind whether is greater the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold Mat. 23.19 Ye fools and blind whether is greater the gift or the Altar that sanctifieth the gift Lo how plainly our Lord affirmeth in both these places that the Temple sanctifieth the Gold and the Altar the Gift and generally all creatures severed from common and profane use to religion and worship of God are thereby made sacred and holy Are not they therefore much to be blamed who keep such a scoffing at Holy water Holy ashes and the like See more 2 Reg. 2. we 4.2 where the Prophet Eliseus applied salt to the healing and purifying of the waters Toby 6.8 where the Angel Raphael used the Liver of a Fish to drive away the Devil 1 Samuel we 1 Kings 16. Where Davids Harp and Psalmody keep the evil spirit away from Saul ¶ See S. Greg. l. 1. dial cap. 4. S. Aug. lib. 18. de civit Dei S. Hier. in the the life of Hilarion post medium S. Bede lib. 1. cap. 30. hist Angliae XXXVII That children may be saved by their Parents faith without the Sacrament of holy Baptism COntrary to the expresse words both of truth it self and also of their own Bible Joh. 3.5 Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Therefore they cannot be saved without Baptism Tit. 3.5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Marc. 16.16 He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Seeing Infants therefore cannot believe they must at the last be baptized or else they cannot be saved Here they will object against us that of S. Paul 1 Cor. 7.14 That the children of the faithful are sanctified But if they understand by their sanctification that they are born without sin they do directly oppugne S. Paul who affirmeth Eph. 1. that we are all born the Sons of wrath Yea S. Paul in the self-same place saith that the unbelieving Women is sanctified by the believing Man and yet I hope they will not say that she obtains thereby the full remission of her sins Gen. 17.14 The uncircumcised Man-childe whose flesh of his fore-skin is not circumcised that Soul shall be cut off from his people But Circumcision was not more necessary to the Israelites than Baptism to the Christians therfore c. ¶ See S. Aug. lib. 1. de peccat merit remiss c. 30. ep 90.91 S. Leo. epist 80. ad Episcop Campaniae S. Irenaeus l. 3. c. 19. S. Cyp. l. 3. ep 8 ad Fidum XXXVIII That the Sacrament of Confirmation is not necessary nor to be used COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible Act. 8.14 Peter and John prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost for as yet he was fallen upon none of them only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost Thus the holy Ghost is given in Confirmation which was not given in Baptism how then is it not necessary nor to be used Hebr. 6.1 Therefore leaving the principles of the Doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of Faith towards God of the Doctrine of Baptisme and of laying on of hands Confirmation is here called one of the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ and a foundation of repentance How then not necessary nor to be used ¶ See the Fathers that affirm the same Tertul. lib. de Resur carnis S. Pacianus lib. de Baptismo S. Ambr. lib. de Sacram. S. Hierom. contra Lucifer And lastly S. Cypr. lib. 2. epist 1. speaking both of baptism and confirmation saith That they may be sanctified and be the sons of God if they be born in both Sacraments XXXIX That the bread of the Supper of our Lord was but a figure or remembrance of the body of Christ received by faith and not his true and very body COntrary both to the expresse words and truth of their own Bible Luke 22.15 With desire I have desired to eat this passeover with you before I suffer Now to refer these words to a figurative eating onely by Faith were most absurd for we cannot say that Jesus Christ could receive or eat himself in this sense sith all Divinity forbids us to admit Faith in the Son of God Therefore that Pasche which he so greatly desired to eat with his disciples before he suffered was the Pasche of his own true body Luke 22.16 For I say unto you I will not any more drink of the fruit of the vine until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God Words of wonderfull force and which cannot be understood figuratively no more than the former it being a thing as clear as the Sun that of material bread and drink there is no use at all above in Heaven John 6.51 I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever And the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Beza is very angry when we ask him If the bread that came down from Heaven be living or life-giving bread He willingly grants us the latter but cannot endure to hear tell of the former and therefore translateth life-giving instead of living But this is absurd for the Sun is life-giving but is not living and being granted to be living what else is it but his body And note withall that thus our Lord spake of this blessed bread before he gave it Matth. 26.26 Take eat this is my body And Luke 22.19 This is my body which is given for you What I pray can be spoken more plain Notwithstanding they will needs maintain and affirm that what he gave and they received was nothing else but bare bread Note also that our Lord spake this at the very giving thereof 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ And 1 Cor. 11. he addeth He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body Thus both before our Lord gave it at the very giving of it and his Apostles and Disciples after he had given it unto them and they to others all of them call it expresly our Lords Bâ—dy Finally against their true and reall receiving of Christ by Faith I say Either the Soul ascendeth to Heaven there to feed on Christ by faith which Calvin confesseth or else Christ descendeth to earth to feed the same Not the first
for so the unglorified Soul of man should be in two places at once which yet they deny even to the glorified body of Jesus Christ Not the second for so Christ should be in two places at once whom yet they say the Heavens must contain till the day of Judgement Act. 3. ¶ See the ancient Fathers that affirm the same S. Ignat. in â—p ad Smyr S. Justin Apol. 2. ad Antoninum S. Cyprian ser 4. de lapsis S. Ambr. l. 4. de Sacram. saith It is bread before the words of the Sacrament but after c. of bread it is made the flesh of Christ S. Remigius saith The flesh which the Word of God took in the Virgins womb and the bread consecrated in the Church are one Body XL. That we ought to receive under both kinds and that one alone sufficeth not COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible John 6.51 If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread which I will give is my flesh Here everlasting life is promised by our Lord himself to him that eats of this bread onely Therefore one kinde doth suffice Luke 24.30.8.35 Christ at Emaus communicated to his Disciples under one kinde Both S. Augustine and Theophilact expound this place of the B. Sacrament in the same sence lib. de consens Evang cap. 35. S. Chrysost hom 17. operis imperfecti S. Thomas of Aquin and many others But they will alleadge to the contrary that of S. John Vnless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud you shall not have life in you The answer hereto is very easie which is that the conjunction and is there taken disjunctively instead of or as is learnedly observed by Doctour Kellison in his reply to M. Sutcliff p. 189. Again Christ in those words teacheth us the precept and not the manner of the precept that is to say he commands us to receive his body and his bloud without determining whether under one kinde or under both as the Counsel of Trent declareth For he that said Vnless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud you shall not have life in you hath also said If any one eat of this bread he shall live for ever And he that said He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life everlasting hath also said The bread which I will give is my flesh for the life of the World He that said Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him hath likewise said He that eateth this bread shall live for ever Therefore one alone doth suffice See more Acts 2.42 They further hold XLI That there is not in the Church a true and proper Sacrifice and that the Mass is not a Sacrifice COntrary to the express words of their own Bible Mac. 1.11 From the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered to my Name and a pure offering But this Sacrifice or pure Offering cannot be understood of Christ upon the Cross as they would have it which was offered onely once and in one place and then also not among the Gentiles nor yet can be ever iterated therefore neither is nor can be other than the dayly Sacrifice of the Mass Psal 110. we 109. 4. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech But Melchisedechs Sacrifice was made in bread and wine therefore it must either be granted that our Saviour doth now sacrifice yea and ever shall in bread and wine above in Heaven which were absurd to say or else that this is meant of the sacrifice of the Mass whereon the Eternity of his Priest-hood doth depend on earth Nor can this be in a spiritual sort onely for that would not make him a Priest of any certain order as Melchisedech was Luke 22.19 This is my body which is given for you Which words do plainly prove not onely that Christs body is truly present but withal so present as that it is given offered and sacrificed for us For Christ saith not which is given to you broken to you or shed to you but for you Which clearly sheweth it to be a sacrifice it being evident that one would never say of the Sacrament in the quality of a Sacrament that it is given for man but to man that is to say that a man receiveth it and contrarywise of a Sacrifice that it is offered not to man but for man See more Heb. 7.15 16 17. Heb. 8.1.3 He. 9.11 ¶ The Fathers that affirm the same are S. Clement Apost cont lib. 6. cap. 23. who called it A reasonable unbloudy and mistycal Sacrifice S. Aug. A singular or most excellent sacrifice lib. 1. cont advers leg and Prophet cap. 18.19 S. Chrysost hom in Psal 95. The mystical table a pure and unbloudy host a heavenly and most reverend Sacrifice Isichius in Levit. cap. 4. saith that Christ preventing his enemies first sacrificed himself in his mystical supper and afterwards on the Cross S. Greg. Nissen orat 4. de Resurrectione proving that our Saviour gave his body and bloud in sacrifice for us in his last supper saith excellently That a man cannot eat the sheep unless the slaughter go before and yet averreth this to have been done by Christ in his last supper XLII That Sacramental Vnction is not to be used to the sick COntrary to the express words of their own Bible James 5.14 Is any sick among you Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with oyl in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him Hardly is there any Sacrament whereof the matter the minister and the effect are more expresly specified in all the Scripture then of this The form is the prayer Let them pray over him The matter the oyl Anointing him with oyl The Minister a Priest or Elder of the Church Let him call for the Elders of the Church The primary effect is the forgiveness of sins and the secondary the easing of the sick in body saying And the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him Therefore Sacramental Unction is to be used to the sick Mark 6.13 And they anointed with oyl many that were sick and healed them Where it is clear that the Apostles themselves put in practice this holy Unction Which Beza confesseth in his Annotations saying that it was a Symbole of admirable supernatural virtue And had he not reason so to say For oyl of it self could not be naturally the Antidote of all diseases and albeit it were yet the Apostles were not sent to practise Phisick but to preach the Gospel
are to be noted which clearly make for the proof of Purgatory The one that in this place where Christ was there were certain sorrows and pains The other that some there were inflicted for sin upon whom he bestowed that gracious benefit as to discharge and free them of those pains For as the Rhemes testament very well notes Christ was not in pains himself but losed other men out of their pains 1 Cor. 15.29 Otherwise what shall they do that are baptized for the dead From this place an evident proof is drawn touching the help which the souls departed out of this world may receive by the Church on earth and consequently proveth Purgatory understanding the pains and afflictions which voluntarily we do inflict upon our selves to exempt those that are therein for to baptize signifieth to afflict ones self to do pennance to suffer death c. as is evident in S. Luke 12.30 But I have a baptism to be baptized with and Mark 10.38 Luke 16.9 And I say unto you make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitation S. Ambrose upon this place and S. Aug. lib. 21. de Civit Dei cap. 27. say that it is to receive succour after death according as the word fail enforceth Luke 23.42 Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome S. August saith in his fifth Book against Julian about the middest that the good Thief in this prayer presupposed that according to the common opinion souls might be holpen after death 2 Mac. 12.44 45. For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead And in the next verse he concludeth That it was an holy and good thought c. This place of holy Scripture is most clear for prayer for the dead for had it not been the continual doctrine and practise of the Church to pray for the dead neither could Judas Macchabaeus who was himself a Priest have ever thought of any such remedy as to gather twelve thousand drachms of silver to send to Hierusalem to have prayers made for the relief of the souls slain in the wars neither would the multitude of people have either contributed or the Priests of the Temple received the same and they thought as these men do that it had been superstition to pray for the departed or that there had been no other place than the hell of the damned or the heaven of the saved See more 2 Tim. 1.18 1. John 5.16 Isa 4.4 Isa 9.18 Acts 24. Mat. 3.11 Mat. 12.32 Mat. 5.26 Micheas 7.8 Psal 66.12 Toby 4.18 Philip. 2.10 Zach. 9.11 ¶ As also the Fathers that affirm the same S. Ambr. upon the 1 Cor. 3. serm 20. in Psal 118. S. Hier. lib. 2. cap. 13. advers Jovin S. Greg. liâ— 4. Dialog cap. 39. Origen hom 6. in cap. 15. Exod. with many others XLVIII That it is not lawfull to make or have Images COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible Exod. 25.18 And thou shalt make two Cherubims of God of beaten work shalt thou make them in the two ends of the Mercy seat These graven Angels were Images of the highest order of Angels one excepted which is in heaven and were made with faces of beautifull young men and commanded to be set up by God himself in the Holy of Holies which S. Hierom witnesseth the Jews to have worshipped epist ad Marcellam Therefore it is lawfull to make Images 1 Kings 6.35 And he carved thereon Cherubims and Palm-irâ—es and open Flowers and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work Hence is to be gathered that the precept of not making graven Idols doth nothing at all concern Images that is to say the true representation of things mecrly imaginary and not subsisting for as S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 8. An Idol is nothing So that the Idol representeth that which is not the Image that which is a most remarkable difference Again seeing an Idol is that properly which being nothing as S. Paul saith is represented to be something or that which represents the thing that is not if our Reformers believe the images of Christ crucified to be an idol they then believe that Christ was never crucified for it would follow necessarily that the image of Christ crucified being an idol therefore Chriâ—t was never crucified Heb. 9 1.5 Then verily the first Covenant had also ordinances of Divine service and a worldly sanctuary c. and over it the Cherubiâ—ns of glorie shadowing the Mercy-seat Here S. Paul calls the images of the Cherubims which Solomon made an ordinance of divine service which our Reformers call the making of idols whom shall we sooner believe Blessed S. Paul or a Reformed brother To conclude an image is of such Divine and natural right that all understanding imagination and sense as well interiour as exteriour is made by way of images called species sensibâ—les insensibiles The body cannot be in light without its shadow the Moon and the Stars imprint their image in the water a man cannot look in a glasse without making his Image Therefore either God and nature it self doth breake this Commandement as well as we or else it is absurd to say that we break it in making of Images See more 1 Kings 7.36.42.44 Numb 21.8 Mat. 22.20 Exod. 31.2 Exod. 35.30 where painting and engraving of Images is so far from being counted Idolatry that it is proved to be a science Divinely insused into Bezaleel by God himself and so the invention of good Images came first from God ¶ The Fathers that affirm the same are Tert. lib. 2. de pudicitia S. Greg. Naz. ep 49. ad Olymp. S. Basil orat in S. Barlaam S. Aug. lib. 1. de consens avang cap. 10. witnesseth that in his time Christ was to be seen painted in many places between S. Peter and S. Paul XLIX That it is not lawfull to reverence Images nor to give any honour to insensible things COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible Exod. 3.5 And he said Draw not nigh hither put off thy shooes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground How clear a place is here produced against our Reformers wherein an insensible Creature was commanded by God himself to be honoured for the refraining to tread upon it was the doing of honour to it Therefore all dead Images representing unto us a holy thing may be honoured Psal 99.5 Adore ye the footstool of his feet Which place is spoken literally of the Ark of the Testament according to that of 1 Chron. 28.2 I had in my heart to build a house of the rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and for the foot-stool of our God Now the principal reason why the Ark was worshipped was in regard of the images that were set upon it which the Jews did worship as S. Hierom